


What makes a crew

by AdmAlbatross



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Found Family, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:02:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28313499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdmAlbatross/pseuds/AdmAlbatross
Summary: The crew of Voyager didn’t expect their journey to take so long.  What they found on their trip besides new aliens and experiences was a new family.Part of the tumblr Star Trek secret Santa exchange for thesadchicken, hope you enjoy! Part 2 soon.
Relationships: Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway, Harry Kim & Tom Paris, Tom Paris/B'Elanna Torres
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18
Collections: Star Trek Secret Santa 2020





	What makes a crew

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thesadchicken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesadchicken/gifts).



New ship, new mission meant that no one really formed bonds or new friendships in the beginning. Why would they? Most would be moving on in a few weeks, going to new assignments and meeting new people. It was the life of one in Starfleet. Getting launched 75,000 light years and being merged threw a wrench into most plans, Harry Kim especially unprepared for how his first mission was to turn out.

Harry, fresh out of Starfleet, was eager to make friends and become well liked by his peers and superiors. His first friend was found in Tom Paris, although being warned away, it was unlikely Harry was to ever leave the man alone. How could he? The two were the definition of one brain cell shared between two people. It was joked that Tom was corrupting the new officer, however, it was Tom who really allowed the younger man to come into his own. He guided Harry into confidence and assuredness as the two became the great creators, and pranksters, on the ship. It was always the two of them when something was messed with on the ship, from Tuvok finding his temple priests in pyjamas the next time he had a holodeck visit, to the Doctor being unable to make a request of the computer without it making an infuriating quip back at him. Harry and Tom were inseparable through the years, the two of them often seen discussing their latest holo novel idea or carefully plotting their next prank on their newest, unknowing victim. They were more than friends, Tom often marked in his personnel logs that he considered Harry to be the brother he never had. The bond they had lasted through trial and trauma, unlikely to ever be broken. And while Tom was the one who helped Harry develop personally, it was Harry who helped Tom become accepted among the crew.

Coming in as a felon, let alone as a former Starfleet officer in training, was hard. Tom was seen as an outcast, a failure. With a father as well known as Admiral Paris, it was hard to escape the shame that followed him everywhere. He didn't want to follow orders, fail yet another person with any poor decisions made. Tom acted aloof, like he didn't care, when in reality, he was terrified. It was surprising then, when Chakotay took him under his wing. Subtly. It was always with pride when the Commander recieved a perfect report from the lieutenant, when Tom made a breakthrough in his relationship with B'Elanna, when his new holodeck program was well reciered by the crew. This isn't saying they didn't butt heads, Tom was not one to adapt well to having to follow Starfleet regulations again, pairing that with clashes of personality it was bound to happen that someone would walk in on the commander giving him a lecture. Again. But, it was in those more rare moments, when Tom applied himself, that Chakotay really felt proud of him. And Tom? He'd never admit it, but Chakotay was the father figure he wished his own had been growing up. One that acknowledged his successes instead of focusing on the failures. Soon Tom began to work towards  
that small pride he saw on his commanders face, wanting to feel that acceptance, and Chakotay, noticing this was more frequent in his praise, in his support. What else would a good father figure/mentor do?

Chakotay knew he had his work cut out for him. Coming from a Marquis ship, being former Starfleet, and having to be a Commander of a newly merged crew meant there was some challenges already laid out for him. He was grateful then, that he had B'Elanna to help the transition from two crews, to one unified. Their bond was one of mutual understanding and trust built up over the years fighting the Cardassians. They had each others backs, they had to, there was no room for mistrust, no room for second guessing their crewmates. It was because of this, that Chakotay was so vocal about her promotion to Chief Engineer, and her biggest defender whenever she butted heads with the Captain over something trivial. Their friendship was one of sentances said with only a glance, of ideas built with only a few words said between them. There was a reason he was the one to help her through her grief after news of the Maquis massacre, because, for a while, he was the only one who truely knew how she dealt with things. B'Elanna came to him when she couldn't sleep, when Tom had decided to put his foot in his mouth again, when she was unsure of how to handle a problem. She didn't always need or even want the help. She was stubborn like that. But she understood that he was in her corner, that he had her back no matter what, and that he would knock some sense into her when necessary. It was never romantic, it didn't need to be, they were family. If not by blood, but by circumstance. And that bond they had would never be matched by anyone in the crew. She would develop other bonds, like  
with her new Captain.


End file.
